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  • The Pieces
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  • (the object of chess)
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  • The Basics of Chess

    The Chessboard







    The game is played with 32 pieces (16 for each player) on an 8x8 board.
    The chessboard at the beginning of the game is diagramed below.


    THE OPENING POSITION


    IMPORTANT! Note that the right-hand corner nearest to white must be a white square.

    Usually the squares on a board are white and black, but any two distinct colors can be used as well.

    Remember that each Queen is placed on a square of its own color and they face each other.
    Likewise, the Kings face each other, but are placed on squares of opposite color to their own.